Thill-tug



(No Model.)

W. F.- SWEET.

THILL TUG. No. 541,700. Patented June 25, 1895.

WITNESSES Sp VIW'V'EJVT R Attorney UNITED STATES,

PATENT FFICE.

XVILLIAM F. SWEET, OF WEBBS MILLS, NEW YORK.

THlLL-TUG.

S'PECEEEGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,700, dated June 25, 1895. Application filed May 29, 1894. Serial No. 512,844. (No model) To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. SWEET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of WVebbs Mills, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill Loops or 'lugs; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, referencerbeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a plan view of blank, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of completed tug.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in thill tugs or loops, the object being to provide an article of this character of such construction as to be subject to less wear, both upon itself and upon the thill, and therefore more durable than the ordinary tugs, and which will also be superior to the ordinary tugs in that upon the breakageof the belly girth or the hold-backs, it will close down securely upon the thill and prevent accidents.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, the letter A shows the blank or stock from which the tug is made, and which is cut to form a widened portion a, terminating at one end in an elongated narrow strap b, and at the other end in a short strap 0 to which is affixed a buckle d and a keeper 6. Near that end of the portion a which has the strap b, is formed a narrow slot f sufficiently large to receive the short strap 0 therethrough previous to the application of its buckle and keeper. The opposite end of the said portion a is formed with two slits g g running in from the end thereof, one at each side of the strap a, form ing the tongues 71, h which are usuallyskived off to render them more flexible.

Fig. 2 shows the completed tug, the short strap 0 being passed up through the slot f, and prevented from withdrawing therethrough by its buckle and keeper subsequently attached,

said buckle providing means for the attachment of the back strap.

In passing the strap cthrough the slot, the portion a is bent forming the cylindrical loop B for the thill, the strap portion 1) having a bearing upon the tongues h h, said strap being for the attachment of the belly girth.

The strap 0 is of sufficient length below the keeper e to permit'the loop B to adjust itself to thills of different sizes, the strain causing it to close down upon any sized thill. Owing to the length of the loop, which is usually two, or two and one-half inches, a broad bearing is provided for the thill, thus greatly reducing the wear upon the latter. This wear is further reduced owing to the fact that play or slip is prevented by the loop closing tightly upon the thill. This also prevents wear upon the loop which is also rendered more durable by reason of the fact that it has no stitches to wear off or rip.

Should the hold-backs break, the loop closes down tightly upon the thill and prevents the .latter from slipping through it.

On trotting rigs, by the use ofthis tug, the side straps, breeching, and wrap girth may be dispensed with. Should the belly girth break, the strain on the tug will cause it to close down tightly upon the thill, preventing accident.

It will be observed that after the buckle end portion 0 is passed up through the slot f and the buckle and keeper have been applied, it will not be possible for the said end portion to pull back through the said slot. Consequently the loop B will always keep its shape.

I am aware that heretofore thill loops or tugs have been patented wherein a single piece of leather is bent to form the loop proper, the strap end of the piece being passed through an opening in such loop. In such tugs however, there is nothing to prevent the strap end from pulling up through the slot should such strap break, in which case the tug is of no use, or when it is unbuckled from the girth.

I am not aware that a tug has ever been known or patented wherein the buckle end of the leather is passed back through a slot in the loop portion and a buckle subsequently applied thereto, which prevents said end from withdrawing. Nor am I aware that a tug of this character has ever been known wherein slitted and thinned portions adjacent to the buckle end have been provided to act as a yielding bearing for the loop.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to construct a thill tug in the manner herein shown and described, and I do not therefore claim such a tug broadly. I am not aware, however, that a tug has ever been provided wherein the strap portion was made to bear directly upon two tongues forming part of the body of the loop, whereby greater flexibility of the loop is secured, and said loop is rendered more capable of closing tightlyupon the thill under strain.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The herein described improved thill tug formed from a single piece of leather, and having a cylindric loop B, a strap extension I), and a buckle tongue extension 0, the latter being passed up through a slot in the loop, and a buckle attached thereto whereby it is prevented from withdrawing through said slot, said loop having the slitted and thinned tongues h, h, one upon each side of the tongue 0, and which form a flexible bearing for the strap b, whereby said loop may adjust itself to the thill, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two-witnesses.

WILLIAM F. SWEET.

Witnesses:

JAMES A. \VILMOT, A. L. HOLMES. 

